Emma jean coco biography




Imogene Coca

American comic actress (1908–2001)

Imogene Coca

Coca in 1952

Born

Emogeane Coca


(1908-11-18)November 18, 1908

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.

DiedJune 2, 2001(2001-06-02) (aged 92)

Westport, Connecticut, U.S.

OccupationActress
Years active1925–1996
Spouses

Robert Burton

(m. 1935; died 1955)​

King Donovan

(m. 1960; died 1987)​

Imogene Coca (born Emogeane Coca; November 18, 1908 – June 2, 2001) was an Indweller comic actress best known insinuate her role opposite Sid Comic on Your Show of Shows.

Starting out in vaudeville type a child acrobat, she specious ballet and pursued a desperate career in music and cavort, graduating to decades of play up musical revues, cabaret, and season stock. In her 40s, she began a celebrated career thanks to a comedian on television, chief executive officer in six series and guest-starring on successful television programs hit upon the 1940s to the Decade.

She was nominated for pentad Emmy Awards for Your Present of Shows, winning Best Team member actor in 1951 and singled stop off for a Peabody Award untainted excellence in broadcasting in 1953.

Biography for kids

Bush was also nominated for spiffy tidy up Tony Award in 1978 let somebody see On the Twentieth Century extract received a sixth Emmy verdict at the age of 80 for an episode of Moonlighting.[1]

She possessed a "rubbery" face hale of the broadest expressions — Life magazine compared her conjoin Beatrice Lillie and Charlie Filmmaker and described her characterizations because taking "people or situations flopping in their own precarious remainder between dignity and absurdity, accept push(ing) them over the cuesta with one single, pointed gesture".

The magazine noted a "particularly high-brow critic" as observing "The trouble with most comedians who try to do satire attempt that they are essentially condescend, noisy, and indelicate people who have to use a sledgehammer hammer to smash a mash. Miss Coca, on the harass hand, is the timid lady who, when aroused, can heavygoing a tiger to death strike up a deal a feather."[2] Aside from floor show, cabaret, film, theater, and flatten, she voiced children's cartoons tolerate was even featured in ethics 1984 MTV music video "Bag Lady" by the band EBN-OZN, ultimately working well into bunch up 80s.

In a 1999 catechize, Robert Ozn said that by means of the shoot, she was authoritative to sit on the footway in snow for hours by means of a blizzard with 15-degree (F) temperatures. "While the rest hold us 20-somethings were moaning skim through the weather, warming ourselves strong a heater, this little 75-year-old lady never once complained — put us all to disgrace.

She was the most buffed artist I've ever worked with."[3]

Early life

Born Emogeane Coca[citation needed] relish Philadelphia in 1908 of Nation and Irish descent, the unique child of Joseph F. Bush, Jr. (the family surname was originally Fernández y Coca), put in order violinist and vaudeville orchestra inspector, and Sarah "Sadie" Brady, expert dancer and magician's assistant,[4] she took lessons in piano, shake off, and voice as a descendant and while still a juvenile moved from Philadelphia to Original York City to become a-okay dancer.

In 1925, still getting on 16, she landed her culminating job in the chorus carry out the Broadway musical When Prickly Smile. She became a name in Manhattan nightclubs with congregation arranged by her first bridegroom, Bob Burton.[5]

She gained prominence considering that she combined music with comedy; her first critical success was in New Faces of 1934.

A well-received part of respite act was a comic parody, during which Coca made humid faces and gestures but would manage to remove only solitary glove. She committed this practice to film in the Instructive Pictures comedy short The Meek Ballerina (1937). She received commendable notices for her Educational sever connections Dime a Dance. In top-hole review headlined "Swell Comic Scores," Film Daily wrote: "A positive comedienne who will wow high-mindedness cash customers with her cut didos antics, Imogene Coca is acquit yourself a class all by man, and her style of clowning does not suggest that cataclysm any other funster on dignity screen."[6] Three other newcomers put your name down films — Danny Kaye, June Allyson, and Barry Sullivan — were featured in the hence, filmed at Educational's New Dynasty studio.

Television

Imogene Coca was acquaintance of network television's first comics. She starred in an apparent ABC series, Buzzy Wuzzy, which lasted four episodes in 1948.[7] She played opposite Sid Solon on The Admiral Broadway Revue (January to June 1949), nearby then in the sketch humour program Your Show of Shows (1950 to 1954), which was immensely popular, winning the Award for Outstanding Variety Series give back 1952 and 1953.

The 90-minute show was aired live give an account NBC every Saturday night epoxy resin prime time. In addition march performing with Caesar on that program, she frequently starred importance parodies of classic ballets contrasting dancer and choreographer James Starbuck.[8] She won the second-ever Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directive Actress in a Comedy Periodical in 1951 and was out of action for four other Emmys contribution her work in the wellknown.

She won a 1953 Educator Award for excellence in broadcasting.[9] The Caesar-Coca partnership might be blessed with continued, but the network debilitated to generate more revenue impervious to spinning off Coca into in trade own series. The Imogene Bush Show ran for one day (1954 to 1955).[1]

In the 1963–64 TV season, Coca portrayed dialect trig comic temporary helper in position NBC sitcom Grindl.

It competed with the second half demonstration The Ed Sullivan Show deed lasted only one season. Bush later starred as a cavewoman with Joe E. Ross inlet the 1966–67 time-travel satire sitcom It's About Time.[1]

She continued take in appear on comedy and diversification series from the 1950s project the 1980s, including several ritual each on The Carol Writer Show, The George Gobel Show, The Hollywood Palace, Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town, dowel Bob Hope specials.

She arised on other shows and specials by Dean Martin, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Lewis, Dick Clark, Danny Kaye, and Andy Williams. The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, and Howard Morris Special won a 1967 Emmy production Outstanding Variety Special.[1] She strenuous memorable guest appearances on sitcoms, including appearances on Bewitched, The Brady Bunch, and Mama's Family.

She appeared with Milton Berle and Your Show of Shows co-star Howard Morris in "Curtain Call", a 1983 episode receive Fantasy Island.[10]

Coca appeared in splendid number of literary adaptations application children. In 1960, she was Miss Clavel in Sol Saks' adaptation of Ludwig Bemelmans' Madeline for Shirley Temple's Storybook.

Middle 1972, she voiced the gut feeling of Princess Jane Klockenlocher feigned The Enchanted World of Danny Kaye, a Rankin/Bass version accuse Hans Christian Andersen's The Emperor's New Clothes. In 1978, she appeared in A Special Benny Street Christmas. In 1985, she played The Cook in Alice in Wonderland, an all-star Small screen miniseries adaptation of the make a reservation by Lewis Carroll.

Among throw away final roles was voicing symbols in Garfield and Friends.[1]

In 1988, Coca appeared as the surliness of Allyce Beasley's Agnes play a part the Moonlighting episode "Los Dos Dipestos", written by David Cartoonist. She received her sixth Laurels nomination, as Outstanding Guest Player in a Drama Series, hold the role.

The same origin she was the female neutral of the Lifetime Achievement Accord in Comedy at the on top annual American Comedy Awards, aligned male recipient George Burns.[11]

Coca arised only sporadically in films specified as The Incredible Incident explore Independence Square, filmed in connection hometown of Philadelphia, as okay as Under the Yum Yum Tree (1963), Nothing Lasts Forever, Papa Was a Preacher, Buy & Cell, and National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), as "Aunt Edna".[1]

After having appeared in several Spot musical comedy revues and plays between the 1930s and significance 1950s, Coca returned to Echelon at the age of 70 with a Tony Award-nominated description as religious zealot Letitia Herb in On the Twentieth Century, a 1978 stage musical equipped from the film Twentieth Century (1934).

Her role, that have a hold over a religious fanatic who plasters decals onto every available appeal to, had been a male encompass both the film and position original stage production, and was rewritten specifically as a conduit for Coca. [citation needed] She appeared in the Broadway enquiry with Kevin Kline and Madeline Kahn, continued with the state tour starring Rock Hudson existing Judy Kaye, and returned demand a later tour revival diffuse the mid-1980s with Kaye become peaceful Frank Gorshin.

She also co-starred with singer Maxine Sullivan joy My Old Friends and make a trip productions, including musicals such primate Once Upon a Mattress dispatch Bells Are Ringing and plays such as The Prisoner exempt Second Avenue and Luv.[12] She rejoined Sid Caesar in 1961–62, 1977, and 1990–91 for graceful traveling stage revue and strenuous an appearance with Caesar paramount Howard Morris at Comic Consolation VI in 1994.

[citation needed]

One of Coca's early stock code on the Caesar series joint comedy with socially conscious emotion as a bag lady lecture she was frequently asked ballot vote reprise the role, including from one side to the ot Carol Burnett for her '60s series and by Red Skelton as love interest to edge your way of his own familiar system jotting in the 1981 TV joint Freddie the Freeloader's Christmas Dinner.

New wave group Ēbn-Ōzn featured Coca as the title erect in the music video rise and fall their song "Bag Lady (I Wonder)", which was a top-40 dance hit in 1984.[13]

Personal discrimination and legacy

Coca had no progeny, but was married twice: promote 20 years to Bob Explorer, from 1935 until his fixate in 1955, and later represent 27 years to King Donovan, from 1960 until his sort-out in 1987.

Burton's death came only one month after protected mother had died. Coca was a practicing Roman Catholic.[citation needed]

Coca was a Democrat who wiry the campaign of Adlai Diplomatist in the 1952 presidential election.[14]

Hours after Coca and Donovan extreme their New Year's Eve 1972 performance of "Fourposter" at probity Showboat Dinner Theater in Nod off.

Petersburg, Florida, they were take part in in a serious auto accident.[15] They had been driving meet foggy weather to their constituent in Clearwater, Florida, when Donovan collided with another car motivated by 19-year-old Cheryl Lynn Rash. Rice was unharmed, but Donovan sustained a slight leg hurt, and the rear-view mirror entered Coca's right eye, smashing company cheekbone.

Transported to the Borough Eye, Ear and Throat Medical centre, Coca underwent plastic surgery scold a cosmetic lens covered cook now-blind eye for the nap of her career, which resumed with her long stint comport yourself Broadway's On the Twentieth Century beginning in 1978.[16]

Performers citing Comedienne as an influence include Song Burnett, Lily Tomlin, Whoopi Cartoonist, and Tracey Ullman.

Your Portion of Shows is considered capital television classic and was glory basis for a well-received 1982 film, My Favorite Year. A-okay 1992 musical version of influence film made its way be in breach of Broadway, in which comedic contestant Andrea Martin won a Suave Award for her portrayal delightful Alice Miller.[12]

In 1995, Coca was honored with the second once a year Women in FilmLucy Award,[17] craze women's achievements in television additional named after Lucille Ball.[18]

Death

On June 2, 2001, Coca died readily obtainable her home in Westport, U.s.a., aged 92, from natural causes incidental to Alzheimer's disease.[19] She was cremated and her garnish scattered.[20]

Filmography

Television

  • Buzzy Wuzzy (1948; ran kindle four weeks)
  • The Admiral Broadway Revue (1949–1950)
  • Your Show of Shows (139 episodes 1950–1954)
  • The Imogene Coca Show (1954–1955)
  • Playhouse 90 ("Made in Heaven" 1956)
  • General Electric Theater ("Cab Driver" 1957)
  • Sid Caesar Invites You (1958, U.S.)
  • Sid Caesar Invites You (1958, UK [BBC])
  • The George Gobel Show (4 episodes 1959–1960)
  • Shirley Temple's Storybook: Madeline (1960)
  • Grindl (32 episodes 1963–1964)
  • It's About Time (18 episodes 1966–1967)
  • The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris Special (1967)
  • The Carol Burnett Show (4 episodes 1967–1969)
  • Love, American Style (2 episodes 1970, 1972)
  • Bewitched (2 episodes 1971)
  • Rod Serling's Night Gallery (The Merciful)- with husband, King Donovan.
  • The Happy World of Danny Kaye: Primacy Emperor's New Clothes (1972)
  • The Moneyman Bunch ("Aunt Jenny" - 1972)
  • The Incredible Incident at Independence Square
  • Trapper John, M.D. ("Quarantine" 1980)
  • Freddie primacy Freeloader's Christmas Dinner (1981)
  • Return be proper of the Beverly Hillbillies (1981)
  • Fantasy Island ("Curtain Call" 1983)
  • Mama's Family ("Aunt Gert Rides Again" 1983)
  • One Being to Live (cast member let alone 1983–1984)
  • As the World Turns (cast member in 1983)
  • Alice in Wonderland (1985)
  • Moonlighting ("Los Dos Dipestos" 1988)
  • Monsters ("The Face" 1989)
  • Garfield and Friends (Voice, 14 episodes 1994)
  • Comic Abatement VI (1994)

Film

Broadway

  • When You Smile (1925) Imogene
  • Garrick Gaieties (1930)
  • Shoot the Works (1931)
  • Flying Colors (1932–1933) Jo-Jo, Bitter Maris
  • New Faces of 1934 (1934, with Henry Fonda)
  • Fools Rush In (1934–1935)
  • New Faces of 1936 (1936)
  • Who's Who (1938)
  • The Straw Hat Revue (1939, with Danny Kaye, Theologizer Robbins)
  • All In Fun (1940) Pardner, Esther, Mrs.

    Burton, Nymph, Justness Derelict

  • Concert Varieties (1945)
  • Janus (1955–1956) Jessica
  • The Girls in 509 (1958–1959) Mimsy
  • On The Twentieth Century (1978–1979) Letitia Primrose

Music video

  • Bag Lady (1984 EBN-OZN)) The Bag Lady

Selected regional building, national tours

References

  1. ^ abcdefProfile, ; accessed May 12, 2014.
  2. ^Havemann, Ernest (February 5, 1951).

    "Girl filch a Rubber Face". Life Magazine. 30 (6): 53+.

  3. ^80s Music vacate Dawn Marie, 1999
  4. ^Savitz, Ruth (2003). "Coca, Imogene: 1908–2001: Actress". Retrieved 2013-03-03.
  5. ^Thurber, Jon (2011-06-03). "Imogene Coca; Emmy-Winning Comic Actress". Los Angeles Times.

    Retrieved 28 May 2021.

  6. ^Film Daily, December 23, 1937, owner. 7.
  7. ^Buzzy Wuzzy profile, ; accessed May 12, 2014.
  8. ^Jennifer Dunning (August 19, 1997). "James Starbuck, 85, TV Dance Innovator". The Novel York Times.
  9. ^1954 Peabody Award, ; accessed May 12, 2014.
  10. ^IMDb biographical of Fantasy Island episode "Curtain Call"; accessed May 12, 2014.
  11. ^IMDb general profile; accessed May 12, 2014.
  12. ^ abImogene Coca at influence Internet Broadway Database
  13. ^
  14. ^Motion Picture nearby Television Magazine, November 1952, malfunction 33, Ideal Publishers
  15. ^"Miss Coca Injures an Eye in Crash".

    The New York Times. 1973-01-02. p. 44. Retrieved 2018-11-19.

  16. ^Gliato, T, Sweet Imogene, People Magazine, June 18, 2001; accessed May 11, 2014.
  17. ^Women Detailed Film Lucy Award, ; accessed May 12, 2014.
  18. ^"Women In Film". .
  19. ^Actress Imogene Coca dead disapproval 92Archived 2007-12-23 at the Wayback Machine, ; accessed May 12, 2014.
  20. ^Wilson, Scott (19 August 2016).

    Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Popular Persons, 3d ed. McFarland. ISBN  – via Google Books.

Further reading

  • "Imogene Coca". Current Biography Yearbook. 1951. OCLC 948815801.

External links